When you have to pack up all of your family’s belongings to move, the last thing you might think of is how dangerous a moving truck can be. This is especially true if you have to load and drive the truck yourself. When inexperienced drivers get behind the wheel of massive moving trucks, accidents are common. After all, many drivers have never operated such a large vehicle and are unfamiliar with how they drive, their blind spots, and other factors that affect the safety of the moving truck.
Dangers of Moving Trucks
The obvious danger of moving trucks, especially if you usually drive a normal vehicle, is inexperience. People who may usually drive small sedans find themselves driving vehicles up to 26 feet long for the first time when renting a moving truck.
But there are other dangers involved, even if you are not the one driving the truck. Some of these moving truck accidents can be blamed on other drivers who are clueless and cannot drive around trucks, but many times the accident is the fault of the moving truck driver or is blamed on the rental truck company for their negligence.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is a huge problem today, but when you add distracted driving behind the wheel of a moving truck, it makes it much more dangerous. Texting, checking GPS directions, or talking on the phone while driving are all things that lead to accidents.
Negligent Driving
This would include things like speeding, road rage, drowsy driving, and failing to yield at stop signs or red lights at intersections. In other cases, drivers might be taking drugs or alcohol while driving, which is illegal.
Truck Defects
Moving trucks need to be properly inspected every time that a new person rents the truck. In addition, rental moving truck companies should ensure their trucks pass the proper safety tests and checks required by federal law. Things like old tires, bad brakes, and hitch or trailer issues should be addressed before these issues cause an accident.
Weather and Road Conditions
While New Mexico’s climate is fairly steady, there are still times when rainy or even snowy weather makes operating a large vehicle even more dangerous.
Common Moving Truck Accident Injuries
Accidents involving moving trucks are very similar to other truck accidents when it comes to injuries that victims might suffer, including:
- Concussions
- Whiplash
- Broken bones
- Brain injuries
- Amputations
- Wrongful deaths
- Cuts and bruises
If you have been injured in an accident involving a moving truck such as a U-Haul, make sure to seek medical attention first and foremost. After that, contact a truck accident lawyer.
Let an Experienced New Mexico Moving Truck Accident Attorney Help You
One of the most important tasks a truck accident lawyer has is determining who is at fault for these kinds of accidents. The responsibility could lie with the driver, the rental company, or the maintenance company that services the vehicles. The main goal of the insurance company is to pay as little as possible. This is where the skill and experience of the lawyers at the Dominguez Law Firm benefit our clients. We know that the insurance companies will all have investigators on the scene of an accident as soon as possible. That is why our team is available to clients 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We urge all truck accident victims to seek legal representation as quickly as possible.
We never expect cases involving rental trucks to be easy, but we take a great deal of pride in how hard we fight for our clients. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a moving truck, please do not hesitate to reach out to us today for a free consultation. You can contact our office at (505) 850-5854 or by filling out our contact form. We also speak Spanish